Dragoneye

Together with The Chronicles of Imaginarium Geographica (which I wrote about in a previous post), I left Powerbooks with another dragon-themed book -- Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman.

Yes, the bookshop's staff were good.

The book deals with a world governed by energy dragons ascending to power on a cycle fixed by the animal signs of the Chinese calendar, with each ascendant dragon represented in the temporal plane by an envoy, his Dragoneye, and an apprentice. Counting his time as an apprentice, each Dragoneye will actually forge and nurture a bond with his dragon for twenty-four years, years in which some of his Hua, or life-force, is drained in the process of communing with the dragon.

Becoming an apprentice takes years of grueling preparation, in swordfighting and dragon lore, in harnessing power and communing with dragons. As a Dragoneye and an apprentice, a person can gain the power to command the energies of the earth, redirecting the energies of winds and rain to benefit mankind. At least in theory. Becoming an apprentice also brings with it enormous influence in the Council, and material wealth to boot.

The protagonist is Eon, a twelve year old boy who has been training for four years to become an apprentice. His turn comes when he is given the chance to try to be the Rat Dragon apprentice. He is not seen as a serious contender though, as he has a pronounced limp, and is not able to move as nimbly as the others. What he has going is his innate ability to see and feel the energy dragons without any huge effort.

He has a dark secret as well, which could potentially spell death for him and his mentor, Heuris Brannon. Eon is actually Eona, a sixteen year old girl, rescued from the salt mines.

The story also tackles the re-appearance of the Mirror Dragon (the Dragon Dragon), who has been missing for five hundred years. Who gets to be Apprentice, who eventually becomes ensconced in the corridors of power, and the secret of the Mirror Dragon are all entwined in this beautifully crafted tale.

I hope to see the sequel, Eona, in the bookshops soon!

Where Myth and Fable Become Reality

I like reading about dragons. Mythical ones, at least.

In one of my visits to Powerbooks at the ATC, one of their staff was so engaging in trying to interest me in their new arrivals. I'm not sure if they had recognized me due to my numerous forays into their shop (proof of which is my PowerPlus card), but I really appreciate how they make an effort to connect with their customers.

I was happily browsing and immersing myself in the sight and smell of books, when this cheerful lady approached me and asked me if I had read this and that books, which I had. Then she directed my attention to their newly arrived series, The Chronicles of Imaginarium Geographica by James A. Owen. I politely had a glance, then told the lady that I wold browse a bit more.

Something made me take a second look though, and I was intrigued by the plot: an atlas of all the mythical and imaginary lands, that needed to be protected from those who sought to use it for less-than-noble purposes. I ended up getting the first three books of the series.

Three Caretakers are always chosen to protect the Imaginarium Geographica, which shows the locations of the fabled lands in the Archipelago of Dreams. In the first book, Here, There Be Dragons, the three future Caretakers (John, Charles, and Jack) are brought together by the unfortunate death of John's mentor. They are then swept into a world of Dragonships and hitherto-believed-to-be mythical characters. In the whirlwind of trying to keep the atlas safe, they encounter numerous allies and foes, as well as the Cartographer of Lost Places, who made the Imaginarium Geographica. The book ends up with a summoning of the dragons by the rightful heir and descendant of King Arthur. The Caretakers then go back to take up the mantles of their everyday lives, and their true identities are revealed to the reader -- a surprising revelation that I will not reveal here.

The Search for the Red Dragon continue nine years after the events of the first book. Peter Pan is drawn into the plot, which involves the loss of Dragonships and children of the Archipelago. The three Caretakers are again compelled to go back into the Archipelago to help out. They venture into the Underneath, beneath the waters of the Archipelago. The myths of Daedalus and Jason, the story of Peter Pan's Lost Boys, and Dante's Inferno all collide into one entertaining tale.

After five more years, the Caretakers are once again drawn into affairs of the Archipelago in The Indigo King. They have taken on an apprentice Caretaker, Hugo, who takes a key role in the events that unfold in this isntallment. An alternative timeline in which the Archipelago becomes a dark and dangerous place provides the impetus for the friends to agree to travel through time and attempt to make things right. A journey to Avalon, an introduction to the Lance of Longinus, and Arthur's resurrection -- these elements keep the reader wanting for more.

I'm so looking forward to books four and five -- The Shadow Dragons and The Dragon's Apprentice. Hope to see them soon!